Virginia Satir Biography - GoodTherapy

Referred to as a family therapy pioneer, Virginia Satir was a psychotherapist who created the Satir Growth Model, which analyzes situations ... GoodTherapy Home > < LearnAboutTherapy> VirginiaSatir(1916-1988) VirginiaSatir(1916-1988) VirginiaSatirwasa20thcenturypsychotherapistwhoisoftenreferredtoasthepioneeroffamilytherapy.  ProfessionalLife VirginiaSatirwasborninNeillsville,Wisconsin,onJune26,1916.A brightchildwithanexplosivesenseofcuriosity,shetaughtherselfhowtoreadattheageofthree andrecalledwantingtobecomeadetectivewhenshewasveryyoung.Thisearlyinterestinuncoveringthetruthbecamealifelongpassionthroughhertherapeuticpractice. SatirattendedtheMilwaukeeStateTeachersCollege,nowtheUniversityofWisconsin,wheresheearnedherbachelor’sdegreeineducationin1936.SheworkedasateacherforsixyearsandcontinuedherstudiesasagraduatestudentbytakingclassesinthesummersatNorthwesternUniversityinChicago,beginningin1937.Eventually,shereturnedtoschoolfull-timeattheUniversityofChicagoSchoolofSocialServicesAdministration. Aftercompletingherthesisandreceivinghermaster’sdegreein1948,Satirimmediatelybeganaprivatepractice,andwithinafewyears,shewasofferedapositionwiththeIllinoisPsychiatricInstitute.Whilethere,sheworkedwithothertherapiststoteachthemtheimportanceofaddressingthewholefamilyduringtreatment,notjusttheindividualclient.Sherecognizedthattheproblemsofanindividualextendtothefamily andoftenstemfromthefamily. In1959,afterrelocatingtoCalifornia,SatirhelpedtoestablishtheMentalResearchInstitute.Throughtheorganization,Satirandherstaffdevelopedthefirsttrainingseriesdesignedspecificallytoteachfamilytherapytechniques.Shebecamethetrainingdirectorandusedheryearsofexpertisetocoordinateanddelivertheprogramtocliniciansthroughoutthecountry.ShealsoledthetrainingprogramatEsalenInstituteinBigSur,California. Satirdevotedmuchofhercareertohelpingpeoplefindthenecessarymentalhealthresourcesfortheirneeds.In1970,SatirfoundedtheInternationalHumanLearningResourcesNetwork,andin1977,shecreatedtheAvantaNetwork.Bothwereintendedtoprovideresourcesandsupporttomentalhealthworkers.Throughouthercareer,Satirprovidedhundredsofworkshopsandtrainingsinherfamilytherapymethods,andsheworkedasasocialworkerandtherapist. ContributiontoPsychology Satirapproachedtherapyfromanewperspective.Shebelievedthataclient'spresentissuewasrarelytherealproblemandthatsuperficialissuesfrequentlyservedtomaskdeeperones.Shearguedthatmentalhealthproblemswereoftentheproductofnegativefamilyexperiencesandroles andplacedastrongemphasisontreatingtheentirefamilyratherthanpathologizingtheindividual.Satir’sTransformationalSystemicTherapy,alsoknownastheSatirGrowthModel,emphasizesengagingtheinnerself,andanalyzingaperson’ssituationandchoices. Her1964book,ConjointFamilyTherapy,emphasizedtheimportanceofindividualself-worthandwasbasedonthecoursesshedeliveredattheMentalResearchInstitute.Aftershepublishedherbook,Satirgainedrecognitionforhertheoriesandherpopularitygrew.ShewasindemandthroughouttheworldandshereceivedrecognitionforherachievementsfromtheAmericanAssociationforMarriageandFamilyTherapyandtheAcademyofCertifiedSocialWorkers. Inherpractice,Satirtriedtohelppeopletoacceptlifeasitisandtoreachpeaceofmind.Sheencouragedclientstomeditate,usebreathwork,andvisualizepositiveresults.Shealsosuggestedusingaffirmationstoboostself-esteem. Satir’sinfluencehasreachedacrossmanydifferentbranchesofmodernpsychotherapy,includingfamilyconstellations. BooksbyVirginiaSatir Peoplemaking(1972/1990) MakingContact(1976) ChangingwithFamilies:ABookaboutfurtherEducationforBeingHuman(withR.Bandler&J.Grinder,1976) YourManyFaces(1978) ConjointFamilyTherapy(1983) SatirStepbyStep:AGuidetoCreatingChangeinFamilies(withM.Baldwin,1983) TheNewPeoplemaking(1988) TheSatirModel:FamilyTherapyandBeyond(withM.Gomori,J.Banmen,&J.Gerber,1991) HelpingFamiliestoChange(withJ.Stachowiak&H.Taschman,1994) References: Stein,G.(1988,Sep12).VirginiaM.Satir,72;familytherapypioneer. LosAngelesTimes (Pre-1997 Fulltext).Retrievedfromhttp://search.proquest.com/docview/280593414?accountid=1229 Virginia(Mildred) Satir. (1998). ContemporaryAuthorsOnline.Retrievedfromhttp://www.gale.cengage.com/InContext/bio.htm. WhoVirginiawasandwhyshemattered.(n.d.). TheVirginia Satir GlobalNetwork.Retrievedfromhttp://satirglobal.org/about-virginia-satir/ LastUpdate: 07-27-2015 PeopleAreReading DialecticalDilemmasandHowACTModelsCanHelpGuideTreatment HowEmotionallyIntelligentPeopleUseNegativeEmotionstoTheirAdvantage PoliticalDifferencesMayShortenThanksgivingVisits Is‘13ReasonsWhy’PartoftheProblemorPartoftheSolution? Time-ManagementHackstoBeMoreEfficientandProcrastinateLess JoinGoodTherapy! Mentalhealthprofessionalswhomeetourmembershiprequirementscantakeadvantageofbenefitssuchas: Clientreferrals Continuingeducationcredits Publicationandmediaopportunities Marketingresourcesandwebinars Specialdiscounts LearnMore NoticetousersGoodTherapyisnotintendedtobeasubstituteforprofessionaladvice,diagnosis,medicaltreatment,medication,ortherapy.Alwaysseektheadviceofyourphysicianorqualifiedmentalhealthproviderwithanyquestionsyoumayhaveregardinganymentalhealthsymptomormedicalcondition.GoodTherapyisnotauthorizedtomakerecommendationsaboutmedicationorserveasasubstituteforprofessionaladvice.NeverdisregardprofessionalpsychologicalormedicaladviceordelayinseekingprofessionaladviceortreatmentbecauseofsomethingyouhavereadonGoodTherapy. GoodTherapyusescookiestopersonalizecontentandadstoprovidebetterservicesforourusersandtoanalyzeourtraffic.Bycontinuingtousethissiteyouconsenttoourcookies.